Leeds United unfamiliar sight, weakened arguments and 'collective shrug' — Graham Smyth's Verdict — YEP 9/2/25

By Graham Smyth

Leeds United gave Elland Road some unfamiliar sights as individuals saw their arguments weaken in an FA Cup defeat by Millwall.

'Not a bad mob to put out,' is how one Leeds United fan summed up Daniel Farke's line-up but strength in depth did not translate to continuity in the FA Cup.

In the week prior to the Millwall game Farke named a substitutes bench that would be the envy of most if not all other Championship managers with experience in abundance and a smattering of genuine match-changing quality. Willy Gnonto and Largie Ramazani are among the very best wingers in the division and would put together a strong case to start in so many teams outside the Premier League. The midfield picture at Leeds has looked rosier since Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev returned to fitness but not everyone can play, so Joe Rothwell dropped out at Coventry City. Junior Firpo's return had the same consequence for Sam Byram.

Changes were expected for the cup tie - Farke laid the groundwork in his pre-game press conference - but when the team sheet landed it had only one name from the midweek side that beat Coventry. Captain Ethan Ampadu stayed in and everyone else went out. At most other clubs this would be described as a weakened team but the one Farke picked had sufficient individual quality and nous to suggest Leeds could yet take the game seriously.

With an unfamiliar line-up came the unusual sight of an opposition side spending more time in the Leeds half of the pitch than their own in the first 10 minutes. It was equally strange to see Leeds having to block shots and defend the edge of their area, then creating their own first chance - against Millwall of all teams - with a set-piece. Rothwell's delivery was headed out as far as Sam Chambers, he chested down and with glory in his eyes he failed to get over the shot and lashed it over the bar.

The 17-year-old full debutant was playing on the right with Gnonto at 10 and Ramazani on the left. The latter's first significant contribution, as Leeds grew into the game a little more, was to stick out a boot to win the ball back and then hare off past a challenge into space. The free-kick he won 35 yards from goal was clipped into the box by Rothwell and Ampadu's header to the back post was too strong for Mateo Joseph to catch.

The best of the home side's early chances came from open play. Schmidt played Chambers down the line and Gnonto acrobatically volleyed the teen's cross goalward, keeper Liam Roberts making a good stop. The Schmidt-Chambers link-up almost brought a second chance, this time for Joseph, but this time Kelly got down quickly to claim Chambers' cross.

But it wasn't a fluent performance from Leeds. Far from it. Joseph elicted groans from the stands with four misplaced passes in succession and with the ball not sticking, Millwall could exert more pressure. And that's when Leeds not only creaked but cracked. Gnonto dallied so long on the ball in his own half that when he did finally try and find Schmidt the full-back was crowded out. Femi Azeez cut inside Ampadu with alarming ease and his shot deflected so wickedly that Karl Darlow stood no chance. From a defensive point of view it was a comedy of errors and even if a disjointed display was to be expected from such a changed side, individuals could still be expected to do their jobs.

What Leeds needed was for the leaders on the pitch to step up but instead Ampadu almost gifted Millwall a second. His decision to dribble out of his area was almost immediately punished when he coughed up possession and Azeez' cannon beat Darlow but not the woodwork. The ball crashed down off the bar and into the path of an unmarked Mihailo Ivanovic and he somehow headed wide.

Leeds' response came from the youngest member of the team. Chambers took another pass from Schmidt, showed composure to take an extra touch towards the penalty spot and forced Roberts into another fine stop.

Pressing for an equaliser very nearly left Leeds with 10 men in the first half. Guilavogui's lunge was well intentioned as he tried to keep an attack alive but he got none of the ball and all of Casper De Norre's ankle. Referee Gavin Ward showed baffling leniency, producing only a yellow card.

In the second half things got worse before they could get any better. Guilavogui was dispossessed with his team out of shape from attacking a corner, the ball went into the space where Schmidt would ordinarily have been and with Ampadu struggling to close down Azeez the winger found the net at Darlow's near post.

The kindness of the officials presented Leeds with an almost immediate but undeserved way back into the game. Down went Gnonto in the area, under next to no contact and Ward pointed to the spot. Justice was done perhaps when Roberts tipped Struijk's penalty onto the post and out to safety.

Farke sent on the cavalry from the bench and Rothwell sent Roberts diving to his left to make another good stop but a chance to progress in the FA Cup and an opportunity for individuals to shine slipped away.

Leaving the FA Cup might well be met with a collective shrug of the shoulders, because Leeds are chasing a far more realistic and important prize this season. There is only one priority and that is promotion. That was recognised by Elland Road chants of 'we're Leeds United, we're top of the league' as Millwall cruised to victory in the latter stages. But for all Farke's post-game talk of difficulties individuals encounter when coming in from the cold to play in a changed team and in what he would not describe as a 'normal' game, there are players who will not look back with pride on how they performed in this one. There are arguments for starting places that have been weakened. And on Tuesday night when Leeds return to league action at Watford, the team that is named will be regarded as the first XI. Earlier on in the season it was difficult at times to discern if Farke knew exactly what his best XI was. As the campaign has gone on there have been hard-fought battles for a small number of positions and Farke has faced sporadic calls to supplant this player with that, but the guts of the side have taken shape. After this FA Cup game, the team now arguably names itself.